Deadmen Valley, Canada was one of the coldest places on Earth on Christmas Eve
This northern location with a chilling name had a particularly cold temperature reading on Christmas Eve.
A lobe of the Polar Vortex, which is an area of cold air and low pressure that is always circulating around the poles, is creeping down from the Arctic and spilling over parts of Canada.
Western and northern regions of the country normally see particularly chilly temperatures at the end of December, but the temperatures that are currently being recorded are amongst the coldest on the entire planet.
Deadmen Valley, Northwest Territories recorded a brutally cold temperature of -45°C (-49.0°F) and the only place that was colder was Jakutsk, Russia at -48°C (-54.4°F) at 4:00 p.m. EST on December 24. In fact, the bone-chilling air that sent temperatures tumbling so low in Deadmen Valley originated in Russia before it migrated over the North Pole.
Temperatures are ranging from the low minus teens to nearly -30°C (-22°F) across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. This region also has wind in the forecast, meaning that temperatures will feel several degrees colder.
Unsurprisingly, this frigid air could be record-breaking. Edmonton, Alberta could experience its coldest Christmas Day ever if the city surpasses -27.8°C, which was recorded in 1971.
Temperatures are expected to continue dropping early next week with daytime highs approaching -30°C and wind chill values dipping well into the -30s and even -40s in some areas.
Meteorologists and public health experts are warning of the dangers this cold snap is bringing, even for folks that are acclimated to extreme winter weather.
“Dress in layers that you can remove if you get too warm. The outer layer should be wind-resistant,” Environment Canada and Climate Change advised in their extreme cold warnings for northern Alberta. With wind chill values dipping into the -30s, it can take as little as 10 minutes for exposed skin to freeze and hypothermia can set in not long after.
